From: Daure David
The Executive Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has raised serious concerns over what he described as a deliberate plot to destabilize the state.
In a press conference held on Friday, February 16, 2025, Adeleke accused former Governor of Osun State, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, of orchestrating a move to unlawfully reinstate council chairmen and councilors sacked by a Federal High Court judgment in 2022.
Adeleke's fiery statement claimed that Oyetola, who now serves as the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, was working in collaboration with the Osun State Commissioner of Police, the State Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Commandant of the Civil Defense Corps to forcefully take over local governments starting on Monday.
The governor expressed concern that this illegal directive could lead to widespread violence and instability in the state.
Adeleke emphasized that the sacked council officials were removed prior to his assumption of office, and that the decisions to dissolve them were based on two separate Federal High Court rulings.
He argued that while the court judgment issued by the People Democratic Party (PDP) had been struck out, the ruling against the council officials by the Action People's Party (APP) remains valid and unresolved. According to Adeleke, the APP's judgment continues to subsist, and the Court of Appeal rejected an appeal by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that sought to reinstate the sacked officials.
Furthermore, Adeleke criticized Oyetola’s actions, stating that as a serving minister, he lacked the constitutional authority to issue directives to security agencies, particularly in violation of existing court rulings.
He urged the Nigerian public and diplomatic community to take note of what he termed a "fascist anti-democratic agenda" and warned that any attempt to impose illegal authority on Osun would not be tolerated.
"I want to place on notice the Nigerian public, our friends in the diplomatic community, and lovers of democracy and the rule of law that our people will not accept any attempt to impose illegality and anarchy on us," Adeleke asserted.
He appealed directly to President Muhammadu Buhari, calling on him to intervene by instructing the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of DSS, and the Commandant General of the Civil Defense Corps to ignore any unlawful orders from Oyetola.
He further urged the National Security Adviser and the Attorney General of the Federation to verify the facts of the case, emphasizing that the Court of Appeal judgment did not reinstate the dismissed local government officials.
Governor Adeleke's statement concluded with a call for peace and unity, while warning that the situation could escalate if the actions of Oyetola and the Osun security agencies are not immediately halted.
He also expressed his commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring the safety and security of all residents of Osun State.
The press conference has sparked significant public interest, with many Nigerians closely monitoring the unfolding political situation in Osun.
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